Moro peace talks begin amid air of optimism

Moro peace talks begin amid air of optimism

JAKARTA (JP): The second round of formal peace talks between
the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Philippine
government began in high spirits here yesterday as both sides
expressed confidence in the ultimate success of the current
meetings.

"Today we carry the mandate of our president to bring this
negotiation to a higher plane and a brighter horizon of peace,
progress and prosperity for the southern Philippines," said
Manuel T. Yan, head of the Philippine delegation.

MNLF chairman Nur Misuari also expressed his hope for a
fruitful meeting when he said his delegation had the full mandate
of the people in seeking a justifiable solution to the problems.

The positive atmosphere was further reflected by Indonesian
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas when he said that "we are
proceeding in the right direction, we have identified all the key
issues and the necessary momentum has been created."

The Filipino Moslems, or Moros, make up about eight percent of
the 65 million population of the mostly Roman Catholic
Philippines.

For the past three centuries the Moros have pursued a struggle
for autonomy beginning with resistance towards Spanish colonial
rule and continuing through the post-Philippine independence era,
reaching its peak in the 1970's against the late president
Ferdinand Marcos.

Only since the election of President Fidel Ramos in 1992 have
negotiations for Moro autonomy produced concrete results.

The latest series of talks is being held under the auspices of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) with Indonesia
as host and mediator.

In the breakthrough inaugural meeting in Jakarta last
November, an Interim Ceasefire Agreement was reached between the
two sides which succeeded in suspending armed conflict.

"Dialog and preventive diplomacy rather than arms and
ammunitions have proven to be the most powerful weapons of
resolving human conflicts," said OIC Secretary General Hamid
Algabid during yesterday's opening statement which was read by
his assistant Mohammad Mohsin.

Despite this success, Alatas still called on the goodwill and
perseverance of both sides since "quick success is often
elusive."

MILF

When queried about the kidnappings of Korean workers involving
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a splinter group of the
MNLF, in Cotabato, Mindanao, Misuari revealed that he had
received a request from Manila to help resolve the current
crisis.

Misuari said that his organization would do its utmost to
resolve the matter and added that he was in contact with the
MILF.

"The MNLF is ready to extend full cooperation in order to
prevent this sensitive situation from erupting into full-scale
war," he said.

Meanwhile, Yan considered the possibility of conducting
similar negotiations with the MILF as Manila is doing now with
the MNLF.

"After conducting talks with the MNLF we could also conduct
talks with the MILF," he said.(mds)